After Eddie House and Rod Thompson talked about the Elite Eight matchup between Loyola-Chicago and Kansas State in the first segment of Eye on the Alamo, Adam Finkelstein was brought in to discuss the East Region, and it’s Final Four participant, Villanova.
While many big-time programs recruit high-level talent who play one season of college basketball and then bolt for the fame and fortune of the NBA, Finkelstein contrasts it with the Wildcats’ approach.
They’ve continuously identified talented pieces who fit their culture and makeup, but who are more likely to stay in school for a few years. This is especially true after those same players patiently wait on the bench studying upperclassmen early in their college careers.
The result? Jay Wright’s team is in another Final Four, after winning the National Championship just two seasons ago, when this year’s stars were still mostly watching from the sidelines.
There are a number of college basketball teams who have freshmen who are expected to be lottery picks in the 2018 NBA Draft, but most of the one-and-done prospects are now eliminated from the 2018 NCAA Tournament after Duke and Marvin Bagley III were ousted in the Elite Eight by Kansas.
The NBA’s rule is that a player must be one year removed from high school, but does that need to be changed?
